Marvel.com has an article up on how Deadpool is being used in the Wolverine: Origins title (Deadpool's New Way).
I guess I haven't been keeping up on my comic news, but one phrase in particular jumped out at me.
"...as the DEADPOOL series looms on the horizon..."
Whee!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Irresponsible theorizing based on the Cap 39 cover [Potential spoilers]
Scroll to the bottom of this article (Captain America: One Year Later) at Marvel.com and you'll see a pic of the cover to the upcoming Cap #39, which--in case you haven't seen it and don't feel like clicking--features not one but two guys in Captain America costumes. One being the oh-so-shiny Winter Soldier variant (and I don't believe for a minute that, despite what he says, the stealth-savvy Winter Soldier would have had a hand in the design of such an unstealthy costume), the other apparently the more traditional look.
I've been fairly surprised to see how many folks on the internet conclude from this image that Steve Rogers is back. Anything is possible in comic-book-land, of course, but that just seems unlikely. The biggest second guess is that it's the time-displaced Cap due to appear in the upcoming Avengers/Invaders book, which I suppose is possible, but it also seems unlikely. Especially when there are so many much more interesting other possibilities! My guess at this point is that whoever it is, the Red Skull is behind it--it would appeal enormously to him to set up his own Captain America. If that's the case, my current theory is that the Skull's Cap (can I call him "Skull-Cap" or would that be too punny?) would act like regular Cap for a while, in order to gain the public's trust (and with the additional effect of making it more difficult for Bucky's less traditional interpretation of the role to gain public acceptance), and then do something, I don't know, traitorous? Just a guess there, of course.
I've been fairly surprised to see how many folks on the internet conclude from this image that Steve Rogers is back. Anything is possible in comic-book-land, of course, but that just seems unlikely. The biggest second guess is that it's the time-displaced Cap due to appear in the upcoming Avengers/Invaders book, which I suppose is possible, but it also seems unlikely. Especially when there are so many much more interesting other possibilities! My guess at this point is that whoever it is, the Red Skull is behind it--it would appeal enormously to him to set up his own Captain America. If that's the case, my current theory is that the Skull's Cap (can I call him "Skull-Cap" or would that be too punny?) would act like regular Cap for a while, in order to gain the public's trust (and with the additional effect of making it more difficult for Bucky's less traditional interpretation of the role to gain public acceptance), and then do something, I don't know, traitorous? Just a guess there, of course.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Marvel girl, part 2
So I read this article (But why ARE women from DC?) where the author theorizes that one reason DC comics may appeal more to some women is that their titles/characters are "slashier," and that since so many young women read manga before they read other comic genres, that aspect has something to do with the appeal. It's a well-written article and makes some interesting points, which I'm doing a poor job of describing here, so you might as well just read it. :).
I have no idea whether the notion of DC comics being closer to manga (in terms of character relationships) is accurate, since the only manga I've seen has been bits on scans_daily. And certainly manga wasn't my own "gateway comic" because (ahem) it wasn't around in the US way back then.
So I suppose it's possible that I'm more of a Marvel person because I'm not into the slash. (Although I'm thinking that there would be plenty to work with in that mode in the Marvel U as well--Power Man/Iron Fist? Early Hawkeye/Quicksilver?)
I do know that there are a large number of online folks who do enjoy that aspect of the comics; I don't know offhand whether they're all female because you can't always tell from a quick reading of a linked blog post. It doesn't appeal to me--it's just not the way my mind turns--but it's certainly as valid as many of the other non-standard takes on the comic world we see. We all take our own meaning from what we read, after all.
What I'm really finding interesting in reading this discussion, though, is how different folks' views of the companies are. People saying that they don't care for Marvel because their books aren't fun, or because the characters have less depth or substance--I find that fascinating, when my own perception was quite the opposite for many years. (I will cede that if I had started reading comics in the early 90s, I might not have had that opinion. But I didn't. I started in the 60s and 70s. I think if I started today, I'd feel the same.) I still find Marvel to be immensely fun, and the characters as deep as any--just, now I have a greater appreciation for DC as well.
I have no idea whether the notion of DC comics being closer to manga (in terms of character relationships) is accurate, since the only manga I've seen has been bits on scans_daily. And certainly manga wasn't my own "gateway comic" because (ahem) it wasn't around in the US way back then.
So I suppose it's possible that I'm more of a Marvel person because I'm not into the slash. (Although I'm thinking that there would be plenty to work with in that mode in the Marvel U as well--Power Man/Iron Fist? Early Hawkeye/Quicksilver?)
I do know that there are a large number of online folks who do enjoy that aspect of the comics; I don't know offhand whether they're all female because you can't always tell from a quick reading of a linked blog post. It doesn't appeal to me--it's just not the way my mind turns--but it's certainly as valid as many of the other non-standard takes on the comic world we see. We all take our own meaning from what we read, after all.
What I'm really finding interesting in reading this discussion, though, is how different folks' views of the companies are. People saying that they don't care for Marvel because their books aren't fun, or because the characters have less depth or substance--I find that fascinating, when my own perception was quite the opposite for many years. (I will cede that if I had started reading comics in the early 90s, I might not have had that opinion. But I didn't. I started in the 60s and 70s. I think if I started today, I'd feel the same.) I still find Marvel to be immensely fun, and the characters as deep as any--just, now I have a greater appreciation for DC as well.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Marvel girl
Atomic Romance has a couple of articles up (Men Are From Marvel, Women Are From DC, Not Really But...and DC's Super Feminine Mystique) about which of the big two comic companies has appealed more to women.
I'm a woman, and historically a Marvel fan primarily; I really started getting into comics as a kid in the late 60s and early 70s, which might have something to do with my preference. Back then, it seemed like DC and Marvel comics were as different from each other as they were from, say, Archie.
Characters like Superman seemed (as I think I've mentioned elsewhere) pretty well established as at least 30-something--but it wasn't the age, it was the attitude, which was somewhat parental (to put it nicely) or paternalistic (to put it not so nicely). In other words, mature in the 50s-sitcom-dad mold. Regardless of what cool stuff they were doing, you had the feeling that if they happened to rescue you, you'd be in for a stern lecture afterwards.
The Marvel heroes didn't necessarily seem younger (certainly I perceived Iron Man and Captain America as in their thirties) but they also seemed far less concerned with being flawless. (Even Cap, the Boy Scout's Boy Scout, was an enormous whiner back then.) They seemed more human, less conscious of being a "good role model." The Avengers fought like cats and dogs. The Justice League, on the whole, got along pretty well--Superman and Batman were best friends, goodness knows how they managed that!
So...way back in the dark (and by "dark" I of course mean "Silver") ages, Marvel, for me, had more interesting characters, more drama, less of a sense that someone was trying to put something in my comics that was "good" for me.
As a side note, I don't think either company was going to draw me in with its female characters in particular, because--despite picking up an occasional issue of Supergirl or Wonder Woman--there really weren't any that I'd have found all that interesting. Except for Saturn Girl of the Legion of Superheroes, who was easily the best thing in the book back then.
By the late 70s, I was in high school, and actually had a friend who liked comics. She was almost entirely an X-fan, and--this being the Claremont/Cockrum era--that was definitely the place to be if you were a girl comic fan who wanted to read about girl superheroes, because the X-Men had Storm and they had Phoenix. (I did read Legion of Superheroes, and New Teen Titans. I've always preferred team books on the whole.) Marvel also had Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel, and if DC had anything like that I really didn't know because, by then, I didn't look at that part of the rack at all.
But nowadays, I don't honestly see a lot of differences between the two companies, certainly not the massive ones of my youth. I have a deeper emotional connection to the Marvel characters, so in general I prefer them, but if I were starting to get into comics now, I can't think of anything that would sway me one way or the other.
I'm a woman, and historically a Marvel fan primarily; I really started getting into comics as a kid in the late 60s and early 70s, which might have something to do with my preference. Back then, it seemed like DC and Marvel comics were as different from each other as they were from, say, Archie.
Characters like Superman seemed (as I think I've mentioned elsewhere) pretty well established as at least 30-something--but it wasn't the age, it was the attitude, which was somewhat parental (to put it nicely) or paternalistic (to put it not so nicely). In other words, mature in the 50s-sitcom-dad mold. Regardless of what cool stuff they were doing, you had the feeling that if they happened to rescue you, you'd be in for a stern lecture afterwards.
The Marvel heroes didn't necessarily seem younger (certainly I perceived Iron Man and Captain America as in their thirties) but they also seemed far less concerned with being flawless. (Even Cap, the Boy Scout's Boy Scout, was an enormous whiner back then.) They seemed more human, less conscious of being a "good role model." The Avengers fought like cats and dogs. The Justice League, on the whole, got along pretty well--Superman and Batman were best friends, goodness knows how they managed that!
So...way back in the dark (and by "dark" I of course mean "Silver") ages, Marvel, for me, had more interesting characters, more drama, less of a sense that someone was trying to put something in my comics that was "good" for me.
As a side note, I don't think either company was going to draw me in with its female characters in particular, because--despite picking up an occasional issue of Supergirl or Wonder Woman--there really weren't any that I'd have found all that interesting. Except for Saturn Girl of the Legion of Superheroes, who was easily the best thing in the book back then.
By the late 70s, I was in high school, and actually had a friend who liked comics. She was almost entirely an X-fan, and--this being the Claremont/Cockrum era--that was definitely the place to be if you were a girl comic fan who wanted to read about girl superheroes, because the X-Men had Storm and they had Phoenix. (I did read Legion of Superheroes, and New Teen Titans. I've always preferred team books on the whole.) Marvel also had Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel, and if DC had anything like that I really didn't know because, by then, I didn't look at that part of the rack at all.
But nowadays, I don't honestly see a lot of differences between the two companies, certainly not the massive ones of my youth. I have a deeper emotional connection to the Marvel characters, so in general I prefer them, but if I were starting to get into comics now, I can't think of anything that would sway me one way or the other.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Not that I need more comics...
I was thinking the other day about comic books based on television shows. I know there's a Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic (never read it, never saw the TV show so didn't see a point), and there's a Dr. Who comic, and possibly others I've not heard of.
It's not a new thing--in the 60s there were comics based on different series ( such as the Gold Key titles, Star Trek, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, etc. I don't think they were very good, and I'm pretty sure they weren't all that closely tied to the actual show although I could be mistaken there (not that they had the same concept of canon or continuity that exists now back then). I remember a Battlestar Galactica series in the 70s, although I don't recall much about the quality--apparently it didn't make much of an impression on me.
But I think the whole thing now where the comics are considered to be, more or less, a part of the main continuity is new. I think some of the Buffy books are actually supposed to be part of their regular continuity, and if I were a Buffy fan I'd likely want the book if that were the case. (Not sure about the Dr. Who books.) I don't think there's a long history of this. My brother used to read Star Trek novels, and probably has enough of them to insulate a small house, but I don't think anyone ever thought they were more than fun extra stories that probably didn't "really" take place--and if those weren't part of regular continuity, comics certainly wouldn't have been either.
I don't know whether I'd buy a comic based on a favorite TV show these days. It'd depend on the sort of show--I wouldn't be interested in, say, a CSI comic, but might be in a Torchwood book. I think I would be more likely to want it if the stories were considered "canon." I'm not sure why that should make a difference, but I think it would.
It's not a new thing--in the 60s there were comics based on different series ( such as the Gold Key titles, Star Trek, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, etc. I don't think they were very good, and I'm pretty sure they weren't all that closely tied to the actual show although I could be mistaken there (not that they had the same concept of canon or continuity that exists now back then). I remember a Battlestar Galactica series in the 70s, although I don't recall much about the quality--apparently it didn't make much of an impression on me.
But I think the whole thing now where the comics are considered to be, more or less, a part of the main continuity is new. I think some of the Buffy books are actually supposed to be part of their regular continuity, and if I were a Buffy fan I'd likely want the book if that were the case. (Not sure about the Dr. Who books.) I don't think there's a long history of this. My brother used to read Star Trek novels, and probably has enough of them to insulate a small house, but I don't think anyone ever thought they were more than fun extra stories that probably didn't "really" take place--and if those weren't part of regular continuity, comics certainly wouldn't have been either.
I don't know whether I'd buy a comic based on a favorite TV show these days. It'd depend on the sort of show--I wouldn't be interested in, say, a CSI comic, but might be in a Torchwood book. I think I would be more likely to want it if the stories were considered "canon." I'm not sure why that should make a difference, but I think it would.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The Green Lantern movie we'd like to see.
The thirteen-year-old says that there should be a Green Lantern movie featuring all four of the earth-based GLs, not just one. And you know, she's right.
I know that some folks would say that there's no way to do that without confusing the ordinary (i.e. non-comic fan) movie-goer. That there's too much backstory. That no one of the characters would be well enough developed to draw the viewer in.
But there's no reason that a movie focusing on the whole space cop premise couldn't be done well. There would be no real need for extensive backstory. The four Earth GLs would be an awesome cast.
There's John, the smart one who knows what he's doing, has a kind heart but not a lot of patience for incompetence.
There's Hal, the showboat, the glamour guy, a bit of a ladies' man, maybe not the brightest light on the tree (and certainly prone to bouts of poor judgment) but knows his stuff when it comes down to it.
There's Kyle, the (relative) newcomer, the artistic one with a different take on things.
And there's Guy, the cranky one who pisses everyone off.
That's a cop show right there, right?
I know that some folks would say that there's no way to do that without confusing the ordinary (i.e. non-comic fan) movie-goer. That there's too much backstory. That no one of the characters would be well enough developed to draw the viewer in.
But there's no reason that a movie focusing on the whole space cop premise couldn't be done well. There would be no real need for extensive backstory. The four Earth GLs would be an awesome cast.
There's John, the smart one who knows what he's doing, has a kind heart but not a lot of patience for incompetence.
There's Hal, the showboat, the glamour guy, a bit of a ladies' man, maybe not the brightest light on the tree (and certainly prone to bouts of poor judgment) but knows his stuff when it comes down to it.
There's Kyle, the (relative) newcomer, the artistic one with a different take on things.
And there's Guy, the cranky one who pisses everyone off.
That's a cop show right there, right?
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Slow news day
There's a list here of eight comics to read before you die.
I have read none of them.
Does this mean I get to live forever? :)
I have read none of them.
Does this mean I get to live forever? :)
Friday, February 22, 2008
Not a comic but close
I read online where someone is thinking of making a movie about William Gaines, the guy who did MAD magazine.
You know, I might see that.
I used to read MAD when I was a kid, and although I wouldn't have considered it a comic book (too large, not in color) I put it in something near the same category. It was, in my young opinion, far superior to Cracked and other similar magazines. There were sections I liked (the TV or movie parodies, the Don Martin cartoons) and sections I didn't care for (Spy vs. Spy) but to a kid, it felt like a good value for the money. I didn't keep it as I kept my comic books--MAD was disposable entertainment to me--but I shared it with my brother, and he may have a few old issues around, I have no idea.
I haven't read it in years and have no interest in doing so. The kids have never shown any interest in it whatsoever.
But it's certainly a piece of the past that has some nostalgia value, and if they make the movie, I will eventually rent the DVD.
You know, I might see that.
I used to read MAD when I was a kid, and although I wouldn't have considered it a comic book (too large, not in color) I put it in something near the same category. It was, in my young opinion, far superior to Cracked and other similar magazines. There were sections I liked (the TV or movie parodies, the Don Martin cartoons) and sections I didn't care for (Spy vs. Spy) but to a kid, it felt like a good value for the money. I didn't keep it as I kept my comic books--MAD was disposable entertainment to me--but I shared it with my brother, and he may have a few old issues around, I have no idea.
I haven't read it in years and have no interest in doing so. The kids have never shown any interest in it whatsoever.
But it's certainly a piece of the past that has some nostalgia value, and if they make the movie, I will eventually rent the DVD.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
What I Want: The May 08 DC Solicitations
DC UNIVERSE: ZERO
This is it! The greatest DC characters! Your favorite writers and artists! Everything leading to Final Crisis and beyond starts here for just 50¢! Take a journey through the past and present of the DCU, and witness the emergence of the greatest evil in the universe — and the stunning return of a force for good! You dare not miss DC Universe: Zero!
Maybe I'll need it, maybe not, but you can't go too wrong for fifty cents.
FINAL CRISIS #1
Witness the historic start of the final chapter in the Crisis trilogy that could only spring from the mind of Grant Morrison — Final Crisis, featuring stunning art by J.G. Jones (52 Covers)! Worlds will live and heroes will die in this epic tale spanning the beginning and end of the DC Universe!
The entire Multiverse is threatened as the mysterious Libra assembles an army of the DCU’s most terrifying super villains. But what is the ultimate plan, and who will live to find out?
Yeah, I'm getting it. So...the Crisis is a trilogy now? Suuuuure. And I'd be a lot happier if I weren't being told that something is "historic" before the fact. But we'll see.
TITANS #2
The Titans hunt continues as all known Titans are being stalked and attacked! Can Nightwing, Beast Boy, Raven, Cyborg, Starfire, Red Arrow, and Donna Troy survive long enough to discover the identity of their mysterious foe?
Yes, I'm getting this, based on the nostalgia factor primarily, but it could be good as well.
BIRDS OF PREY #118
Misfit and Black Alice are kidnapped by denizens of the mysterious Dark Side Club…only to be find out they may have a deeper connection — just as they must battle each other for survival!
"Battle each other for survival" stories got old a while ago, but I'm not ready to let this one go quite yet.
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #24
As their quest to track down Sinestro Corps rings continues, the Green Lantern Corps discover to their horror that fellow Lanterns Sodam and Arisia have been captured by Mongul and subjected to the dreaded Black Mercy, causing their deadliest fears to be dragged into the light.
The plot actually doesn't sound all that good, but the book has been so far, so I'm getting it.
Waiting for the trade:
BOOSTER GOLD #9
“Blue and Gold” continues as the Justice League International returns! In a desperate attempt to correct time, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle are forced to rebuild the team that defined them so long ago! But can what's left of the JLI stop Max Lord and save the world from his O.M.A.C.s?
I do like my TPBs of the JLI era--probably the most frequently reread things on the shelf we've got devoted to trades--so I almost thought about ordering this in floppy form. Might have done if it weren't so far into the series already.
This is it! The greatest DC characters! Your favorite writers and artists! Everything leading to Final Crisis and beyond starts here for just 50¢! Take a journey through the past and present of the DCU, and witness the emergence of the greatest evil in the universe — and the stunning return of a force for good! You dare not miss DC Universe: Zero!
Maybe I'll need it, maybe not, but you can't go too wrong for fifty cents.
FINAL CRISIS #1
Witness the historic start of the final chapter in the Crisis trilogy that could only spring from the mind of Grant Morrison — Final Crisis, featuring stunning art by J.G. Jones (52 Covers)! Worlds will live and heroes will die in this epic tale spanning the beginning and end of the DC Universe!
The entire Multiverse is threatened as the mysterious Libra assembles an army of the DCU’s most terrifying super villains. But what is the ultimate plan, and who will live to find out?
Yeah, I'm getting it. So...the Crisis is a trilogy now? Suuuuure. And I'd be a lot happier if I weren't being told that something is "historic" before the fact. But we'll see.
TITANS #2
The Titans hunt continues as all known Titans are being stalked and attacked! Can Nightwing, Beast Boy, Raven, Cyborg, Starfire, Red Arrow, and Donna Troy survive long enough to discover the identity of their mysterious foe?
Yes, I'm getting this, based on the nostalgia factor primarily, but it could be good as well.
BIRDS OF PREY #118
Misfit and Black Alice are kidnapped by denizens of the mysterious Dark Side Club…only to be find out they may have a deeper connection — just as they must battle each other for survival!
"Battle each other for survival" stories got old a while ago, but I'm not ready to let this one go quite yet.
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #24
As their quest to track down Sinestro Corps rings continues, the Green Lantern Corps discover to their horror that fellow Lanterns Sodam and Arisia have been captured by Mongul and subjected to the dreaded Black Mercy, causing their deadliest fears to be dragged into the light.
The plot actually doesn't sound all that good, but the book has been so far, so I'm getting it.
Waiting for the trade:
BOOSTER GOLD #9
“Blue and Gold” continues as the Justice League International returns! In a desperate attempt to correct time, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle are forced to rebuild the team that defined them so long ago! But can what's left of the JLI stop Max Lord and save the world from his O.M.A.C.s?
I do like my TPBs of the JLI era--probably the most frequently reread things on the shelf we've got devoted to trades--so I almost thought about ordering this in floppy form. Might have done if it weren't so far into the series already.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
What I Want: The May 08 Marvel Solicitations
AVENGERS/INVADERS #1 (of 12)
The original Invaders (Captain America , Bucky , Human Torch , Toro , and the Sub-Mariner) return in a twelve issue maxi-series by the award winning team behind EARTH X, Justice and Project Superpowers .The greatest super-team of World War II finds themselves transported from the battlefields of the Second World War to a future they never imagined! Now, the Invaders find themselves confronted by two teams of Avengers who want desperately to believe these heroes are who they say they are, while Tony Stark faces his greatest challenge since the Civil War as he must deal with the “return” of Steve Rogers. Confronted by a world they barely recognize, the Invaders will have to show two teams of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes just what kind of power, courage and sheer determination it took to defeat the forces of unrelenting evil in the Twentieth century. In fact…they may just have to do it again in the Twenty-First.
I suppose I ought to wait for the trade...but I don't want to wait that long to see this. I always liked the old Invaders, although I'm not sure I care for the idea that they'll be a part of the whole "are they/aren't they" Skrull thing. Still, potentially cool
CAPTAIN AMERICA #38
Bucky Barnes never wanted to be Captain America, but he's doing his best to carry on the legacy of Steve Rogers, in his own way, while trying to save Sharon Carter from the Red Skull and his minions. But maybe he's not the only one running around in a Captain America outfit!
Of course. :)
MOON KNIGHT #18
The Superhuman Registration Act: Membership has its privileges. And Moon Knight’s about to get his revoked. Personally. By Tony Stark himself. Meanwhile, Black Spectre’s hatched a plan to put the final nail in Moon Knight’s coffin. Years ago, Moon Knight destroyed Carson Knowles’ life -- now he’s about the return the favor.
Buying Moon Knight has become a matter of habit rather than of the solicitations sparking any interest, but the actual books have been just fine.
SECRET INVASION #2 (of 8)
The Invasion is here!! The Marvel Universe is in shambles. The Skrull Empire's plan has birthed itself into perfection. It is hero versus hero!! Resurrections and reunions!! Is Tony Stark a Skrull? And is that actually Captain America leading the heroes into a new era?? EXPECT CHANGE!!
Yeah, I suppose. :)
MIGHTY AVENGERS #13 &14
Where has Nick Fury been and who are the new Howling Commandos? It’s the debut of all-new characters and some surprising revelations about some classic ones as Nick starts to put his plan to stop the Invasion together. But will it be enough?
The Eisner award-winning team of Bendis and Maleev bring this very important Secret Invasion issue to life.
Nick Fury is always worth looking at. Got to say, though, that the phrase "very important Secret Invasion issue"? Not something that draws me in.
NEW AVENGERS #41
The Avengers are trapped in the Savage Land, battling friend and foe. And Spider-Man heads to the one person in the entire place he knows he can trust: Ka-Zar!! But is it really him? This important chapter rewinds the events of the very first New Avengers story and shows how it connects to the Invasion.
Not a Ka-Zar fan particularly. But on the whole I continue to enjoy this book.
MS. MARVEL #27
There is a Skrull in Lightning Storm's midst. There is a secret truth to the life of Ms. Marvel's lover, William Wagner. Something happens between Ms. Marvel and Wonder Man that can never be undone. And an era comes to an explosive end in a pivotal moment in the life of the most important woman in the Marvel Universe.
Whoa, a teaser that actually teases! And makes me want a book! I didn't think they wrote those anymore. I am particularly interested in learning why Ms. M is "the most important woman in the Marvel Universe" now. Because, much as I like her, I don't see that.
SHE-HULK #29
This is it, the return of…the Savage She-Hulk?! Three months ago, Jennifer Walters – known throughout her career in the Marvel Universe as a high-profile lawyer – was disbarred. But why? Who engineered the scandal that resulted in our heroine losing the one thing that has defined her for so long? Time to answer all the questions…as a controversial side of the jade giantess erupts once again!
Yes, I want to read this to learn what happened/happens.
THE LAST DEFENDERS #3 (of 6)
DEFENDERS…No More?! It sure looks like it, as Iron Man shuts down New Jersey’s Initiative team…and Nighthawk’s dreams of redemption. But when the diabolical U-MAN threatens humanity, Nighthawk finds the best Defenders money can buy: Paladin, Junta and Atlas! Meanwhile, what role does DAMIEN HELLSTROM play? And who has he sought out to advise him in his journey? A strange connection to the Defenders’ past appears as the must-have super hero team book of ’08 continues!
Sounds all right. (Can't remember if I was getting this or waiting for trade. Will have to check. :))
YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS #5 (of 6)
Young Cassie Lang has an encounter with Kang’s ubiquitous enforcer the GROWING MAN! However, her ordeal ends in tragedy as someone close to her is gravely injured in the process. And the effect on Cassie causes some unexpected problems from which she might never recover. Can the Young Avengers help Stature before an even greater tragedy befalls her?
Cassie is not my favorite Young Avenger, but I am definitely getting this.
Also, shouldn't there be some Captain America TPBs coming out soon?
The original Invaders (Captain America , Bucky , Human Torch , Toro , and the Sub-Mariner) return in a twelve issue maxi-series by the award winning team behind EARTH X, Justice and Project Superpowers .The greatest super-team of World War II finds themselves transported from the battlefields of the Second World War to a future they never imagined! Now, the Invaders find themselves confronted by two teams of Avengers who want desperately to believe these heroes are who they say they are, while Tony Stark faces his greatest challenge since the Civil War as he must deal with the “return” of Steve Rogers. Confronted by a world they barely recognize, the Invaders will have to show two teams of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes just what kind of power, courage and sheer determination it took to defeat the forces of unrelenting evil in the Twentieth century. In fact…they may just have to do it again in the Twenty-First.
I suppose I ought to wait for the trade...but I don't want to wait that long to see this. I always liked the old Invaders, although I'm not sure I care for the idea that they'll be a part of the whole "are they/aren't they" Skrull thing. Still, potentially cool
CAPTAIN AMERICA #38
Bucky Barnes never wanted to be Captain America, but he's doing his best to carry on the legacy of Steve Rogers, in his own way, while trying to save Sharon Carter from the Red Skull and his minions. But maybe he's not the only one running around in a Captain America outfit!
Of course. :)
MOON KNIGHT #18
The Superhuman Registration Act: Membership has its privileges. And Moon Knight’s about to get his revoked. Personally. By Tony Stark himself. Meanwhile, Black Spectre’s hatched a plan to put the final nail in Moon Knight’s coffin. Years ago, Moon Knight destroyed Carson Knowles’ life -- now he’s about the return the favor.
Buying Moon Knight has become a matter of habit rather than of the solicitations sparking any interest, but the actual books have been just fine.
SECRET INVASION #2 (of 8)
The Invasion is here!! The Marvel Universe is in shambles. The Skrull Empire's plan has birthed itself into perfection. It is hero versus hero!! Resurrections and reunions!! Is Tony Stark a Skrull? And is that actually Captain America leading the heroes into a new era?? EXPECT CHANGE!!
Yeah, I suppose. :)
MIGHTY AVENGERS #13 &14
Where has Nick Fury been and who are the new Howling Commandos? It’s the debut of all-new characters and some surprising revelations about some classic ones as Nick starts to put his plan to stop the Invasion together. But will it be enough?
The Eisner award-winning team of Bendis and Maleev bring this very important Secret Invasion issue to life.
Nick Fury is always worth looking at. Got to say, though, that the phrase "very important Secret Invasion issue"? Not something that draws me in.
NEW AVENGERS #41
The Avengers are trapped in the Savage Land, battling friend and foe. And Spider-Man heads to the one person in the entire place he knows he can trust: Ka-Zar!! But is it really him? This important chapter rewinds the events of the very first New Avengers story and shows how it connects to the Invasion.
Not a Ka-Zar fan particularly. But on the whole I continue to enjoy this book.
MS. MARVEL #27
There is a Skrull in Lightning Storm's midst. There is a secret truth to the life of Ms. Marvel's lover, William Wagner. Something happens between Ms. Marvel and Wonder Man that can never be undone. And an era comes to an explosive end in a pivotal moment in the life of the most important woman in the Marvel Universe.
Whoa, a teaser that actually teases! And makes me want a book! I didn't think they wrote those anymore. I am particularly interested in learning why Ms. M is "the most important woman in the Marvel Universe" now. Because, much as I like her, I don't see that.
SHE-HULK #29
This is it, the return of…the Savage She-Hulk?! Three months ago, Jennifer Walters – known throughout her career in the Marvel Universe as a high-profile lawyer – was disbarred. But why? Who engineered the scandal that resulted in our heroine losing the one thing that has defined her for so long? Time to answer all the questions…as a controversial side of the jade giantess erupts once again!
Yes, I want to read this to learn what happened/happens.
THE LAST DEFENDERS #3 (of 6)
DEFENDERS…No More?! It sure looks like it, as Iron Man shuts down New Jersey’s Initiative team…and Nighthawk’s dreams of redemption. But when the diabolical U-MAN threatens humanity, Nighthawk finds the best Defenders money can buy: Paladin, Junta and Atlas! Meanwhile, what role does DAMIEN HELLSTROM play? And who has he sought out to advise him in his journey? A strange connection to the Defenders’ past appears as the must-have super hero team book of ’08 continues!
Sounds all right. (Can't remember if I was getting this or waiting for trade. Will have to check. :))
YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS #5 (of 6)
Young Cassie Lang has an encounter with Kang’s ubiquitous enforcer the GROWING MAN! However, her ordeal ends in tragedy as someone close to her is gravely injured in the process. And the effect on Cassie causes some unexpected problems from which she might never recover. Can the Young Avengers help Stature before an even greater tragedy befalls her?
Cassie is not my favorite Young Avenger, but I am definitely getting this.
Also, shouldn't there be some Captain America TPBs coming out soon?
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The rewards of overthinking [Maybe-spoilers for Captain America?]
Newsarama has a small selection of May's solicitations up now, and among them is Cap 38. And it says:
Well, it may not be exactly the scenario I was envisioning, but the whole more-than-one-Cap thing? I definitely figured on that. (Or guessed at it. Same thing when it comes to speculation, right?) I suppose that must be the blue-eyed Cap, then?
CAPTAIN AMERICA #38
THE SAGA OF THE NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA CONTINUES!
Bucky Barnes never wanted to be Captain America, but he's doing his best to carry on the legacy of Steve Rogers, in his own way, while trying to save Sharon Carter from the Red Skull and his minions. But maybe he's not the only one running around in a Captain America outfit!
Well, it may not be exactly the scenario I was envisioning, but the whole more-than-one-Cap thing? I definitely figured on that. (Or guessed at it. Same thing when it comes to speculation, right?) I suppose that must be the blue-eyed Cap, then?
Monday, February 18, 2008
Ah, well
So the girls and I were playing Heroclix yesterday, as described earlier in this blog, and a friend (adult) of the family was over, watching politely. We were telling him about the various characters and their histories (as one does), and I half-apologized to him, saying that this must be a bit dull to him but I was (and I quote) a pretty big comic geek.
He said that he used to be, as well, until it was shamed out of him. :(
So I guess that I do know someone, after all, who had negative stuff happen due to comic books.
Small world. Unfortunately.
He said that he used to be, as well, until it was shamed out of him. :(
So I guess that I do know someone, after all, who had negative stuff happen due to comic books.
Small world. Unfortunately.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Heroclix tomorrow, again!
The game is not over. It's on the card table, waiting for us to get back to it tomorrow. We had to take a break for Torchwood, played a little more, then quit for the night.
Obviously the 10,000 point thing was not going to happen. We went with 2000 points instead. Still enough for everyone to have a lot of high-powered figures.
Since we all share the same figures, we build teams by taking turns choosing. The only point of contention was Kyle Rayner--the thirteen-year-old wanted all the Green Lanterns, but I managed to snag him. She was happy enough with John Stewart and Alan Scott, however.
The eight-year-old has already thrown in the towel, and the thirteen-year-old and I have been ripping into her defenseless team like the vultures we are. She quit, and then she came to watch us play. Go figure.
Obviously the 10,000 point thing was not going to happen. We went with 2000 points instead. Still enough for everyone to have a lot of high-powered figures.
Since we all share the same figures, we build teams by taking turns choosing. The only point of contention was Kyle Rayner--the thirteen-year-old wanted all the Green Lanterns, but I managed to snag him. She was happy enough with John Stewart and Alan Scott, however.
The eight-year-old has already thrown in the towel, and the thirteen-year-old and I have been ripping into her defenseless team like the vultures we are. She quit, and then she came to watch us play. Go figure.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Heroclix tomorrow!
The husband has plans for tomorrow, so the kids and I are going to play us a game of Heroclix. The thirteen-year-old, who always wants more figures, wants a 10,000 point game. I am pretty sure that the eight-year-old won't last 10,000 points, even with the Extra Easy House Rules, as listed below. I'm actually not even sure that we have enough pieces for a three-person game of 10,000 points each, but the thirteen-year-old assures me that we do. She's probably right.
The Extra Easy House Rules:
1. No pushing. ("Pushing" means that you can't use the same piece two turns in a row without giving it a click of damage. You're supposed to put tokens near each piece to keep track of which ones have been moved last.) Pushing is a pain in the neck, just because of the tokens. Actually, "no pushing" isn't quite accurate. We don't use the same piece two turns in a row, but we won't be anal about it. It's more of an informal thing.
2. No rolling to pull away. (That's when you want to move a piece that's standing next to an enemy piece and you have to roll to see whether the other guy stepped on your cape and tripped you so you couldn't do it.) There will be arguing on this one because the thirteen-year-old likes that rule, and if she can sway her sister we will use it.
3. Powers are assumed off unless you say they're on. You have until the end of your turn to decide. This stops so much arguing, you wouldn't believe it.
4. If any player decides they're tired of playing and want to quit, we assume that their team has been hit by paralyzing gas and their pieces are fair game for the other players. A bloodbath then ensues against the helpless heroes who have been abandoned by their general.
5. The Deadpool rule--whoever has Deadpool, also has to have Bob. Bob can be any Hydra guy you like. This doesn't make the game easier but it does make it more fun.
Also, we will be eating cheese popcorn, almond M&Ms, and strawberry Twizzlers, of which we currently have a 4-pound box.
The Extra Easy House Rules:
1. No pushing. ("Pushing" means that you can't use the same piece two turns in a row without giving it a click of damage. You're supposed to put tokens near each piece to keep track of which ones have been moved last.) Pushing is a pain in the neck, just because of the tokens. Actually, "no pushing" isn't quite accurate. We don't use the same piece two turns in a row, but we won't be anal about it. It's more of an informal thing.
2. No rolling to pull away. (That's when you want to move a piece that's standing next to an enemy piece and you have to roll to see whether the other guy stepped on your cape and tripped you so you couldn't do it.) There will be arguing on this one because the thirteen-year-old likes that rule, and if she can sway her sister we will use it.
3. Powers are assumed off unless you say they're on. You have until the end of your turn to decide. This stops so much arguing, you wouldn't believe it.
4. If any player decides they're tired of playing and want to quit, we assume that their team has been hit by paralyzing gas and their pieces are fair game for the other players. A bloodbath then ensues against the helpless heroes who have been abandoned by their general.
5. The Deadpool rule--whoever has Deadpool, also has to have Bob. Bob can be any Hydra guy you like. This doesn't make the game easier but it does make it more fun.
Also, we will be eating cheese popcorn, almond M&Ms, and strawberry Twizzlers, of which we currently have a 4-pound box.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Yeah, yeah, Jason Todd again...
So as we all know, I am helpless when it comes to previews and spoilers. I cannot resist them. I'm actually okay with that, and don't find that it interferes with my enjoyment of my comics at all. I don't necessarily spend much time seeking them out, but if I happen upon them, I read them.
But anyway. I read the preview of Countdown 11. I read another page somewhere else, don't recall where. And...
...what the heck happened to Jason Todd? He just doesn't sound right. Does he? I mean, I haven't read everything he's ever been in, but I've read Under the Hood and I've read all of Countdown and there's been at least a reasonable amount of consistency in his manner of speaking. Up until now, when he seems to be doing his best Batman impression, complete with increased dickishness, brand new pomposity, and much, much less humor. It's a little disconcerting.
But anyway. I read the preview of Countdown 11. I read another page somewhere else, don't recall where. And...
...what the heck happened to Jason Todd? He just doesn't sound right. Does he? I mean, I haven't read everything he's ever been in, but I've read Under the Hood and I've read all of Countdown and there's been at least a reasonable amount of consistency in his manner of speaking. Up until now, when he seems to be doing his best Batman impression, complete with increased dickishness, brand new pomposity, and much, much less humor. It's a little disconcerting.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
This is sad
I saw today in various spots online that Steve Gerber had died.
I don't necessarily remember the writers of most of the comics I read in the 70s--maybe the artists, rarely the writers--but I remember Steve Gerber. His stuff was different, not that I didn't like the stuff that wasn't different, but different is memorable, particularly when it's also good, which he was. I only read an occasional issue of Howard the Duck, but I read quite a bit of his Defenders run and it was wonderful. I think that anyone who read much Marvel in the 70s probably had some of their tastes and expectations shaped by Mr. Gerber, and I certainly count myself among them.
I don't think I've read anything by him in years, but I'm sorry to know that he is gone.
I don't necessarily remember the writers of most of the comics I read in the 70s--maybe the artists, rarely the writers--but I remember Steve Gerber. His stuff was different, not that I didn't like the stuff that wasn't different, but different is memorable, particularly when it's also good, which he was. I only read an occasional issue of Howard the Duck, but I read quite a bit of his Defenders run and it was wonderful. I think that anyone who read much Marvel in the 70s probably had some of their tastes and expectations shaped by Mr. Gerber, and I certainly count myself among them.
I don't think I've read anything by him in years, but I'm sorry to know that he is gone.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The verdict
So today I told the thirteen-year-old about the whole New X-Men/Young X-Men thing. She doesn't want it.
I asked her what she wanted to get instead.
She said...wait for it (and remember that she doesn't follow the comic internet)...Spider-Man. That was unexpected (I figured she'd choose some other X-title, but I gather she not been impressed with what she's seen of Messiah Complex). We've never gotten it, but she's picked up an issue or two herself over the years, and of course he's in New Avengers these days, which we do get. Whether he's married or not seems to be immaterial to her.
She was certainly pleased to find out that it comes out several times a month!
Then the husband said to get Young X-Men as well. Might as well give it a shot. I think if he's hoping it's really anything like Young Avengers, he's likely to be disappointed.
I asked her what she wanted to get instead.
She said...wait for it (and remember that she doesn't follow the comic internet)...Spider-Man. That was unexpected (I figured she'd choose some other X-title, but I gather she not been impressed with what she's seen of Messiah Complex). We've never gotten it, but she's picked up an issue or two herself over the years, and of course he's in New Avengers these days, which we do get. Whether he's married or not seems to be immaterial to her.
She was certainly pleased to find out that it comes out several times a month!
Then the husband said to get Young X-Men as well. Might as well give it a shot. I think if he's hoping it's really anything like Young Avengers, he's likely to be disappointed.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Looks all right, I guess
So it turns out that the new Young X-Men title is not a continuation of the canceled New X-Men title.
It may still be a book the thirteen-year-old is interested in. In fact, I'd be surprised if she wasn't, but I don't like to assume these things.
It may still be a book the thirteen-year-old is interested in. In fact, I'd be surprised if she wasn't, but I don't like to assume these things.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Decisions, decisions
I didn't plan to get 52 but I ended up getting it all, and was glad.
I didn't plan to get Countdown but I'm ending up getting it all, and so far I've been glad.
Countdown I got because it featured some characters I already liked. 52, I think I saw some of it online and was intrigued. On the whole, I think that one of the things that I liked about either series was the focus on characters who, for the most part, you don't see all that much of--they don't have their own title, or if they do have a place they regularly appear they share the spotlight.
Today I saw that the next DC weekly is going to be called Trinity and feature Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. That part, so far, doesn't appeal to me at all. All those characters have at least one book of their own, and we don't buy any of them (well, we get Wonder Woman but to be honest that's because the thirteen-year-old wants it). So, knowing that much about the book mainly inclines me to save some money.
Now, it also says that there will be two stories in each issue, and that the second story will vary (some one-shots, some continuing storylines), which says to me that this will probably be an occasional buy for me--get it when someone I'm interested in is in the backup, but otherwise not.
Because, with 52 and Countdown, even if I didn't care for all of the storylines, I knew that if I kept getting the book I would see something I did have an interest in pretty soon. If--with this Trinity book--the only consistent aspect is going to feature characters I don't need to see more of, there's really no reason for me to get it on a regular basis.
I didn't plan to get Countdown but I'm ending up getting it all, and so far I've been glad.
Countdown I got because it featured some characters I already liked. 52, I think I saw some of it online and was intrigued. On the whole, I think that one of the things that I liked about either series was the focus on characters who, for the most part, you don't see all that much of--they don't have their own title, or if they do have a place they regularly appear they share the spotlight.
Today I saw that the next DC weekly is going to be called Trinity and feature Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. That part, so far, doesn't appeal to me at all. All those characters have at least one book of their own, and we don't buy any of them (well, we get Wonder Woman but to be honest that's because the thirteen-year-old wants it). So, knowing that much about the book mainly inclines me to save some money.
Now, it also says that there will be two stories in each issue, and that the second story will vary (some one-shots, some continuing storylines), which says to me that this will probably be an occasional buy for me--get it when someone I'm interested in is in the backup, but otherwise not.
Because, with 52 and Countdown, even if I didn't care for all of the storylines, I knew that if I kept getting the book I would see something I did have an interest in pretty soon. If--with this Trinity book--the only consistent aspect is going to feature characters I don't need to see more of, there's really no reason for me to get it on a regular basis.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
I hate to say it...
...but, after looking at the bits of next week's Countdown at Newsarama, I think the Red Robin costume may be growing on me.
Which isn't to say that I think it's a good look for Jason Todd. The costume has a real Golden Age quality to it, and Jason, well, doesn't.
Which isn't to say that I think it's a good look for Jason Todd. The costume has a real Golden Age quality to it, and Jason, well, doesn't.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Comics are forever
Newsarama has a piece up now called The Q: What Brought You In? where they ask comic professionals how they got interested in comics.
It's interesting, but when I asked myself what got me into comics (because it's all about me around here :)), I didn't have an answer. There is no particular thing that got me into comics. They were, simply, always there. I'll give you that there must have been some point where I did not have any comics--before I learned to read would be my guess--but since my mom taught me fairly early, I don't really remember a time when I couldn't read, and therefore don't remember a time when I had no comic books.
(As a side note, I don't remember my folks reading comics at all. They read a lot of books, as did my brother and myself, but I really don't remember them picking up a comic every once in a while, and yet I'm sure they must have because they knew who all my favorite characters were. They had absolutely no problem with our reading them--we were never encouraged to read "better" things--but they seemed to view them as a kid thing. I suppose that's how they remembered them from their own childhoods, and by then saw them not as a thing to share with their own kids so much as a thing to pass on.)
There are, of course, a number of comics I have particularly strong memories of. Iron Man #1, for example--probably the first and only time I've ever been impressed with a first issue, and all it took was for me to be six years old. :) But it was far from being the one thing that got me interested in comics. As far as I perceived, there was no one thing--comics had always been there. Which may have something to do with my inability to quit them.
It's interesting, but when I asked myself what got me into comics (because it's all about me around here :)), I didn't have an answer. There is no particular thing that got me into comics. They were, simply, always there. I'll give you that there must have been some point where I did not have any comics--before I learned to read would be my guess--but since my mom taught me fairly early, I don't really remember a time when I couldn't read, and therefore don't remember a time when I had no comic books.
(As a side note, I don't remember my folks reading comics at all. They read a lot of books, as did my brother and myself, but I really don't remember them picking up a comic every once in a while, and yet I'm sure they must have because they knew who all my favorite characters were. They had absolutely no problem with our reading them--we were never encouraged to read "better" things--but they seemed to view them as a kid thing. I suppose that's how they remembered them from their own childhoods, and by then saw them not as a thing to share with their own kids so much as a thing to pass on.)
There are, of course, a number of comics I have particularly strong memories of. Iron Man #1, for example--probably the first and only time I've ever been impressed with a first issue, and all it took was for me to be six years old. :) But it was far from being the one thing that got me interested in comics. As far as I perceived, there was no one thing--comics had always been there. Which may have something to do with my inability to quit them.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Theoretical Cap thoughts [Spoilers unlikely but you never know...]
All right, so I've got that theory that there will be more than one person wearing the Captain America suit before Steve Rogers makes his return. It's not a theory based on much evidence, I will grant you that, but that's kind of the point of speculation, isn't it?
I was looking at the latest Marvel solicitations, and reread the description of Cap 37, which starts out "With a new Cap now established..." Likely this means that Winter Soldier has been at it for a while and is established in the sense of being settled in. But it could refer to a different Captain America who's been more recently established in the sense of being installed.
Just saying.
I was looking at the latest Marvel solicitations, and reread the description of Cap 37, which starts out "With a new Cap now established..." Likely this means that Winter Soldier has been at it for a while and is established in the sense of being settled in. But it could refer to a different Captain America who's been more recently established in the sense of being installed.
Just saying.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Comic numbering
I've long had a deep dislike of the practice of renumbering comic books. For various reasons--it makes it harder to keep track of what you're reading ("now was this Volume II or Volume III of this series...?"), it conceals a lot of history--but I find that it doesn't bother me at all with regard to the new Captain America series.
And I realized why, tonight.
It's because--unlike most cases, where a title is renumbered in order to boost sales (for some reason comic fans still seem to flock to anything that has a #1 on the cover) or to try to appeal to a younger market ("geez, Fantastic Four is in the 500s, the kids are going to think it's ancient!")--the new series marked a genuine change in the title, something that actually made the book something different from what it was.
So, that's my new opinion on renumbering books. That there had better be a significant (and, hopefully, good) change associated with the new numbering, a change that lasts longer than the first few issues. Otherwise, I still don't see the point.
And I realized why, tonight.
It's because--unlike most cases, where a title is renumbered in order to boost sales (for some reason comic fans still seem to flock to anything that has a #1 on the cover) or to try to appeal to a younger market ("geez, Fantastic Four is in the 500s, the kids are going to think it's ancient!")--the new series marked a genuine change in the title, something that actually made the book something different from what it was.
So, that's my new opinion on renumbering books. That there had better be a significant (and, hopefully, good) change associated with the new numbering, a change that lasts longer than the first few issues. Otherwise, I still don't see the point.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
More on why kids don't read comics
When my mom read comics as a young girl, all the kids read comics.
When I read comics as a young girl, some of the kids read comics.
Now that my daughters are young girls, I don't think any of their friends read comics.
When my mom was a young girl, television wasn't around yet, at least not for most people. Media entertainment for kids consisted of comics and movies. Movies, like comics, were much bigger back then, in part I'm sure because of the lack of competition. More movies were made, and just about everyone saw them regardless of genre or quality because it was something new to do--a movie was a night (or afternoon) out, and came with cartoons and short subjects, and many people went to the movies every week, or more often. As for the comics, she read them but did not keep them. They seem to have been considered disposable entertainment, like newspapers.
When I was a young girl, we also had television, but only some of it was aimed at kids. Movies were a far rarer experience for me than they had been for my mom--we didn't go to the movies just to go to the movies, we went when there was something we particularly wanted to see. I kept some, but not all, of my comics--I know that I had some Archies and Donald Ducks and so forth that I never bothered to hold on to. The superhero stuff, I kept.
The girls have television--far more of it available than I did at their age (we lived in the country, got three television channels, and two of those crossed the lake from Canada), far more of it geared specifically at kids. They have the internet. They have video games. They very occasionally see a movie. The comics they get, they keep because they've each got a longbox for just that purpose.
Kids don't read comics now for any number of reasons, not only the aforementioned entertainment competition--they cost a lot (they were 10 cents for my mom, and not a whole lot more when I was a kid), they're harder to find (do kids go to specialty comic shops on their own?), parents are less likely to encourage their kids to read them, their peers are less likely to read them--that have nothing to do with intended audience. If those issues aren't addressed, it doesn't matter how many kid-oriented comics the companies put out, the only kids who'll be reading them are those whose parents are already comic-friendly.
When I read comics as a young girl, some of the kids read comics.
Now that my daughters are young girls, I don't think any of their friends read comics.
When my mom was a young girl, television wasn't around yet, at least not for most people. Media entertainment for kids consisted of comics and movies. Movies, like comics, were much bigger back then, in part I'm sure because of the lack of competition. More movies were made, and just about everyone saw them regardless of genre or quality because it was something new to do--a movie was a night (or afternoon) out, and came with cartoons and short subjects, and many people went to the movies every week, or more often. As for the comics, she read them but did not keep them. They seem to have been considered disposable entertainment, like newspapers.
When I was a young girl, we also had television, but only some of it was aimed at kids. Movies were a far rarer experience for me than they had been for my mom--we didn't go to the movies just to go to the movies, we went when there was something we particularly wanted to see. I kept some, but not all, of my comics--I know that I had some Archies and Donald Ducks and so forth that I never bothered to hold on to. The superhero stuff, I kept.
The girls have television--far more of it available than I did at their age (we lived in the country, got three television channels, and two of those crossed the lake from Canada), far more of it geared specifically at kids. They have the internet. They have video games. They very occasionally see a movie. The comics they get, they keep because they've each got a longbox for just that purpose.
Kids don't read comics now for any number of reasons, not only the aforementioned entertainment competition--they cost a lot (they were 10 cents for my mom, and not a whole lot more when I was a kid), they're harder to find (do kids go to specialty comic shops on their own?), parents are less likely to encourage their kids to read them, their peers are less likely to read them--that have nothing to do with intended audience. If those issues aren't addressed, it doesn't matter how many kid-oriented comics the companies put out, the only kids who'll be reading them are those whose parents are already comic-friendly.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Grown-ups and their toys
Redhead Fangirl has a post that discusses, among other things, what happens to women with hobbies and other interests when thave have children. Specifically, that the hobbies and other interests often disappear.
You know, I've not seen that happen to myself or my friends, but I'll have to admit that I don't know for sure that I wouldn't have dropped the comic hobby, at least temporarily, when the now-thirteen-year-old was born. That's because she was born during my approximately-ten-year comic hiatus. Both of the girls were, actually. They were children of the 90s. So if the 90s comics themselves hadn't driven me away, I suppose it's possible that the kid thing might have, for a while. I don't know, obviously. It certainly didn't keep me from picking them up again in the early 00s.
RF is right, however, in that there's something of a cultural expectation that when a woman becomes a mother, her focus will turn to parenthood and away from anything else. That placing importance on anything other than parenthood is frivolous. The first part of that is true, certainly--it's hard to think much beyond what's for dinner when you've only had 2 hours of sleep. (Fortunately, babies get older, and parents eventually get to sleep.) The second part, I really haven't seen much of. I've known a few women online who have been focused almost entirely on their kids. (Felt pretty sorry for the kids. :)) But I don't think it's that common. Most dull mothers were dull long before they had kids in tow.
There is also (and I think this may be more recent) a cultural thing where it is more acceptable for men to hang on to their toys after reaching adulthood than it is for women. The male business executive who spends his weekends working on his model trains is seen as perhaps a bit eccentric (in the mainstream view), but tolerably so. The female business executive who collects Barbie dolls is not. Not sure where comic books fit in, but you get the idea.
And yes, obviously there are sacrifices associated with parenthood. There are sacrifices associated with any life choice--if you choose to do one thing, you are eliminating certain other possibilities. But if you think that your life choices require you always to ignore all of your own needs for any one of the perceived needs of others, well, that's a problem.
You know, I've not seen that happen to myself or my friends, but I'll have to admit that I don't know for sure that I wouldn't have dropped the comic hobby, at least temporarily, when the now-thirteen-year-old was born. That's because she was born during my approximately-ten-year comic hiatus. Both of the girls were, actually. They were children of the 90s. So if the 90s comics themselves hadn't driven me away, I suppose it's possible that the kid thing might have, for a while. I don't know, obviously. It certainly didn't keep me from picking them up again in the early 00s.
RF is right, however, in that there's something of a cultural expectation that when a woman becomes a mother, her focus will turn to parenthood and away from anything else. That placing importance on anything other than parenthood is frivolous. The first part of that is true, certainly--it's hard to think much beyond what's for dinner when you've only had 2 hours of sleep. (Fortunately, babies get older, and parents eventually get to sleep.) The second part, I really haven't seen much of. I've known a few women online who have been focused almost entirely on their kids. (Felt pretty sorry for the kids. :)) But I don't think it's that common. Most dull mothers were dull long before they had kids in tow.
There is also (and I think this may be more recent) a cultural thing where it is more acceptable for men to hang on to their toys after reaching adulthood than it is for women. The male business executive who spends his weekends working on his model trains is seen as perhaps a bit eccentric (in the mainstream view), but tolerably so. The female business executive who collects Barbie dolls is not. Not sure where comic books fit in, but you get the idea.
And yes, obviously there are sacrifices associated with parenthood. There are sacrifices associated with any life choice--if you choose to do one thing, you are eliminating certain other possibilities. But if you think that your life choices require you always to ignore all of your own needs for any one of the perceived needs of others, well, that's a problem.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
A few thoughts on a comic I technically haven't read yet [Spoilers for CA 34]
Obviously I wasn't going to be able to resist reading it when folks started talking about Captain America 34, and posting pictures, and generally making spoilers available for those who wished to partake of them. Why's that? Well, I'm not going to get my comics for another month! Which is far, far too long to wait. I haven't read the whole thing. I'm sure I'm missing some salient facts. But that won't keep me from talking about it now.
* So, going by what little I've seen online, I've got to confess that the new Cap costume--as drawn in the book--isn't that bad. Granted that it's dark in the story, which may make a difference as to how it looks. But it looks all right. Far better than I'd expected.
* This may change as the storyline continues, but at this point? I can't think of the new Cap as "Captain America." I think of him as "Winter Soldier in the Cap suit;" it seems very temporary to me. And I didn't think that I was one of the "Steve Rogers is the one and only true Captain America" crowd, so I'm a little surprised at my reaction here.
* I always like the Black Widow and am happy to see her in just about any book, but if WS is buying that she isn't in some way keeping an eye on him for Tony, he's a lot less clever than he seems to be. She may have mixed motives, but I'd be pretty surprised if that's not the case.
* The gun doesn't bother me, but it may have something to do with my not thinking of him as Captain America, I don't know.
* Gonna be a long month...
* So, going by what little I've seen online, I've got to confess that the new Cap costume--as drawn in the book--isn't that bad. Granted that it's dark in the story, which may make a difference as to how it looks. But it looks all right. Far better than I'd expected.
* This may change as the storyline continues, but at this point? I can't think of the new Cap as "Captain America." I think of him as "Winter Soldier in the Cap suit;" it seems very temporary to me. And I didn't think that I was one of the "Steve Rogers is the one and only true Captain America" crowd, so I'm a little surprised at my reaction here.
* I always like the Black Widow and am happy to see her in just about any book, but if WS is buying that she isn't in some way keeping an eye on him for Tony, he's a lot less clever than he seems to be. She may have mixed motives, but I'd be pretty surprised if that's not the case.
* The gun doesn't bother me, but it may have something to do with my not thinking of him as Captain America, I don't know.
* Gonna be a long month...
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Why I love the internet
Newsarama has a bit up called How the internet saved comics, all about how use of the net has changed (or not changed folks' comic reading experience. It interests me, so I am talking about it.
I'm a big fan of the internet. I've been more or less actively on the net for, probably, fifteen years or so--ever since we could get it where we live. It's the best thing going for anyone who has interests that are at all fringe or unusual or alternative (whether this means politics, religion, or entertainment) because while there might not be anyone else in your small home town who loves Silver Age Green Lantern, there's surely someone in some other small town 900 miles away.
The pluses of this are obvious--the ability to create community with like-minded individuals, to gather information that wouldn't otherwise be available, to actually meet someone who doesn't seem vaguely bored at best when you're talking about why the new Legion of Superheroes just isn't the same. It's not the same thing as real life, of course, but it's better than reading the letters column of your favorite title once a month. Also, the fact that the internet is generally unfiltered--if someone wants to say something, they can say it. (Okay, that's not all good, but on the whole I far prefer my forums unmoderated.)
The disadvantages are also fairly obvious--for one, it's easy to get the impression that your own particular interest or focus is far more popular than it actually is. An active message board with hundreds of posters may seem like a strong indication that everybody loves Darkseid, but it doesn't. That's not necessarily a problem as long as you know that you're in a very small pond. Then there are the same problems with any form of electronic communication--the nonexistence of face time means that what you say is more likely than usual to be misunderstood or unclear. Again, not necessarily a problem if you recognize the flaws in the medium and make allowances.
So, how has my comic experience changed since the internet came along?
I read comics from the time I was a kid until the early 90s, all pre-internet. I picked up the hobby again in the early 00s.
BI ("Before Internet"): I got my comics first at a local newsstand, and later by mail from a store in another city--they sent me the solicitations once a month and I sent it back with any changes I wanted made to my standing order. Generally there were no changes and the order was the same every month.
AI ("After Internet"): I order my comics online, again several months ahead of time. Although I do still tend toward getting the same books every month without thinking a lot about it, I do try to look at what I'm getting, and I definitely watch for things I've seen online that interested me. The service I use has a decent search function, so I'll also check to see if favorite characters are appearing anywhere that mont.
BI: I pretty much just got the same comics every month. If something else looked good that month, I might pick it up, but didn't give it much thought other than "hey, this looks good." I did not know ahead of time that I would find something new and cool.
AI: I still get mostly the same comics every month, but I also hear about new and cool stuff ahead of time and make a point of watching for them. I don't know that I buy more comics, because I am also more likely to drop titles, even temporarily, if something doesn't appeal to me about them at the moment. I've also tried plenty of things (like all the DC books on my list) that I'd never have looked at if not for the internet.
BI: I read my comics mostly on my own. When I was in high school I had a friend who read X-Men and we'd talk about that, but she wasn't interested in anything else and AFAIK she gave them up entirely once she was out of school. My brother and I shared our comics to some extent but did not really discuss them other than occasionally making recommendations to each other. (That's still the case, actually.) Other than that, the only time I had any idea what other folks thought about comics was when I read the letters page--and believe me, I would be annoyed when a title would skip that letters page for a month! But on the whole, my opinions were my opinions, based almost entirely on my own reading of the books.
AI: I get to read all sorts of other folks' opinions of the books I read, and of the books I don't read. Sometimes the latter inspires me to try something new. I also pay a lot more attention to online comic news sites like Newsarama (and, to a lesser extent, comic sites like Marvel and DC) than I ever did to the Bullpen Bulletins, but I think that's mainly a function of age. I don't really know how much this colors my own opinions--I'd hope not too much--but certainly my attention is now drawn to things that it wouldn't be otherwise (thank you WFA!).
BI: I had no idea what would happen in my comics until I actually held them in my grubby little hands. Period.
AI: Due partially to the once-a-month thing, I am often well spoiled with regard to at least some of my comics. Please note that I don't usually mind this--I find that the internet fosters impatience to a surprising degree--but it does make for a different experience.
BI: I went to get my comics once a week when I was younger. (Once a month when I used a mail service.) I'd read the comics, put them in their boxes, and probably not give them a lot of thought until the next Friday. (Friday was when my mom drove my brother and I to the newsstand. :)) I might read some back issues during the week but there was, of course, no new comic content in my life between Fridays.
AI: I get my actual comics once a month. However, I read about comics every single day. (And write about them.) I read news about upcoming books, reviews of existing books, opinion pieces on various issues--the flow of information is constant. I don't know if that means they are a bigger part of my life, but I'd say they're a more constant part of my life.
I'm a big fan of the internet. I've been more or less actively on the net for, probably, fifteen years or so--ever since we could get it where we live. It's the best thing going for anyone who has interests that are at all fringe or unusual or alternative (whether this means politics, religion, or entertainment) because while there might not be anyone else in your small home town who loves Silver Age Green Lantern, there's surely someone in some other small town 900 miles away.
The pluses of this are obvious--the ability to create community with like-minded individuals, to gather information that wouldn't otherwise be available, to actually meet someone who doesn't seem vaguely bored at best when you're talking about why the new Legion of Superheroes just isn't the same. It's not the same thing as real life, of course, but it's better than reading the letters column of your favorite title once a month. Also, the fact that the internet is generally unfiltered--if someone wants to say something, they can say it. (Okay, that's not all good, but on the whole I far prefer my forums unmoderated.)
The disadvantages are also fairly obvious--for one, it's easy to get the impression that your own particular interest or focus is far more popular than it actually is. An active message board with hundreds of posters may seem like a strong indication that everybody loves Darkseid, but it doesn't. That's not necessarily a problem as long as you know that you're in a very small pond. Then there are the same problems with any form of electronic communication--the nonexistence of face time means that what you say is more likely than usual to be misunderstood or unclear. Again, not necessarily a problem if you recognize the flaws in the medium and make allowances.
So, how has my comic experience changed since the internet came along?
I read comics from the time I was a kid until the early 90s, all pre-internet. I picked up the hobby again in the early 00s.
BI ("Before Internet"): I got my comics first at a local newsstand, and later by mail from a store in another city--they sent me the solicitations once a month and I sent it back with any changes I wanted made to my standing order. Generally there were no changes and the order was the same every month.
AI ("After Internet"): I order my comics online, again several months ahead of time. Although I do still tend toward getting the same books every month without thinking a lot about it, I do try to look at what I'm getting, and I definitely watch for things I've seen online that interested me. The service I use has a decent search function, so I'll also check to see if favorite characters are appearing anywhere that mont.
BI: I pretty much just got the same comics every month. If something else looked good that month, I might pick it up, but didn't give it much thought other than "hey, this looks good." I did not know ahead of time that I would find something new and cool.
AI: I still get mostly the same comics every month, but I also hear about new and cool stuff ahead of time and make a point of watching for them. I don't know that I buy more comics, because I am also more likely to drop titles, even temporarily, if something doesn't appeal to me about them at the moment. I've also tried plenty of things (like all the DC books on my list) that I'd never have looked at if not for the internet.
BI: I read my comics mostly on my own. When I was in high school I had a friend who read X-Men and we'd talk about that, but she wasn't interested in anything else and AFAIK she gave them up entirely once she was out of school. My brother and I shared our comics to some extent but did not really discuss them other than occasionally making recommendations to each other. (That's still the case, actually.) Other than that, the only time I had any idea what other folks thought about comics was when I read the letters page--and believe me, I would be annoyed when a title would skip that letters page for a month! But on the whole, my opinions were my opinions, based almost entirely on my own reading of the books.
AI: I get to read all sorts of other folks' opinions of the books I read, and of the books I don't read. Sometimes the latter inspires me to try something new. I also pay a lot more attention to online comic news sites like Newsarama (and, to a lesser extent, comic sites like Marvel and DC) than I ever did to the Bullpen Bulletins, but I think that's mainly a function of age. I don't really know how much this colors my own opinions--I'd hope not too much--but certainly my attention is now drawn to things that it wouldn't be otherwise (thank you WFA!).
BI: I had no idea what would happen in my comics until I actually held them in my grubby little hands. Period.
AI: Due partially to the once-a-month thing, I am often well spoiled with regard to at least some of my comics. Please note that I don't usually mind this--I find that the internet fosters impatience to a surprising degree--but it does make for a different experience.
BI: I went to get my comics once a week when I was younger. (Once a month when I used a mail service.) I'd read the comics, put them in their boxes, and probably not give them a lot of thought until the next Friday. (Friday was when my mom drove my brother and I to the newsstand. :)) I might read some back issues during the week but there was, of course, no new comic content in my life between Fridays.
AI: I get my actual comics once a month. However, I read about comics every single day. (And write about them.) I read news about upcoming books, reviews of existing books, opinion pieces on various issues--the flow of information is constant. I don't know if that means they are a bigger part of my life, but I'd say they're a more constant part of my life.
Friday, February 01, 2008
The kid's first opinion of the day's comics. (Spoilers, maybe?)
We got the comics today. The thirteen-year-old doesn't always read everything, but she liked Countdown this time, mainly because she likes Donna Troy and there were two of them (one good, one evil, as it always is). I asked her what she thought of extra-crabby Batman, and she said she didn't realize he was a different one from usual because she didn't read those pages. Why not? Doesn't she like Batman? Well, yes, kind of but he's "too dark and boring."
You know who's not "too dark and boring"? Deadpool! She enthusiastically approved of Random Guest and Deadpool 49. She is infinitely disappointed that Hydra Bob's blog does not appear to be a genuine web address (and I have to admit I'm a little surprised that it isn't).
She also expressed her surprise at Young Avengers Presents Patriot in that she didn't think Winter Soldier could be "nice." (I guess he didn't kill anyone, at that.) She likes the Young Avengers (doesn't everyone?) but has given up on seeing them again regularly (hasn't everyone?) so she was happy to see this.
She had some general happy comments to make on the latest Wonder Woman but did not give any details. (Personally I liked it, and am curious to see what happens next, which isn't usually the case for me with Wonder Woman so I guess it's better than it was.)
She liked the New X-Men but was a little confused on some points because we're not getting any of the rest of the crossover. By the way, I didn't see New X-Men in the solicits this month--but I did see something called Young X-Men. Is that a replacement title, possibly?
We've also heard just lately that there will be a Power Girl title coming up sometime later this year, and since Power Girl is awesome! that would be one to add, if it comes to pass.
You know who's not "too dark and boring"? Deadpool! She enthusiastically approved of Random Guest and Deadpool 49. She is infinitely disappointed that Hydra Bob's blog does not appear to be a genuine web address (and I have to admit I'm a little surprised that it isn't).
She also expressed her surprise at Young Avengers Presents Patriot in that she didn't think Winter Soldier could be "nice." (I guess he didn't kill anyone, at that.) She likes the Young Avengers (doesn't everyone?) but has given up on seeing them again regularly (hasn't everyone?) so she was happy to see this.
She had some general happy comments to make on the latest Wonder Woman but did not give any details. (Personally I liked it, and am curious to see what happens next, which isn't usually the case for me with Wonder Woman so I guess it's better than it was.)
She liked the New X-Men but was a little confused on some points because we're not getting any of the rest of the crossover. By the way, I didn't see New X-Men in the solicits this month--but I did see something called Young X-Men. Is that a replacement title, possibly?
We've also heard just lately that there will be a Power Girl title coming up sometime later this year, and since Power Girl is awesome! that would be one to add, if it comes to pass.
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